Method of laying channel flaps



May 11, 193'47. H. GORDON METHOD 0F LAYING CHANNEL FLAPS l v Filed Nov. 8, 1934 Patented May 11, i937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Walker T. Dickerson Company, Columbus,

Ohio, a. corporation of Ohio Application November 8, 1934, Serial No. 752,087

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in footwear, and has'particular reference to shoes of the type wherein the outsoles are marginally stitched in secured relationship with shoe welts or uppers. n

AIn shoes ofthe type embodying stitched outsoles, itI iscustomary to conceal the stitching, when the outsoles are viewed from the bo-ttom, bythe provision of channel strips or flaps. VIn the manufacture of such shoes, it is the ordinary practice to slit the outsoles marginally, while the leather comprising such an outsole is in a relatively moist or tempered state, to form the marginal strips or flaps integrally with the outsole. With the iiaps in an elevated position,' the marginal portions of such outsoles are then stitched to welts connected with the shoe uppers ,or in the case of .other types of shoes directly'to said uppers. Following the stitching operation, an adhesive is placed on the con- 'tiguous' surfaces of the channel strips or iiaps and marginal portions of a shoe outsole and following a drying operation, the channel strips are pressed into engagement with the outsoles in orderl to be adhesively connected therewith in stitch concealing relationship.

Heretofore, the adhesive employed in this operation contains oris composed largely of rubber which requires that the leather comprising fthe outsole must be in a comparatively dry condition before the rubber containing adhesive will"v function in the matter of uniting the chaniiel .stripto `the outsole. Furthermore, it is a matter of common knowledge that a channel strip Vsecured by the usual process after a short .period of iwear will become disengaged from the adjoining surfaces of the outsole so that it presvents arough, uneven and undesired appearance and, moreover, leaves the stitching of the outsole directly exposed to shoey wear.

Y' fIn accordance with the present invention, use is made of a pyroxylin base cement which has .the-capability of uniting leather surfaces when the leather is in a moist or' tempered statel so thatfthrough the employment of the pyroxylin base cement, I am enabled to apply the same to "an outsole immediately following the sewing of the outsole in connection with the shoe upper and to cause the leather surfaces united by said ycement to maintain their adhesion under prolonged periods of use and service, to the end of Aexpediting and facilitating the laying of channel strips on the sewed outsoles of shoes and to improve the wearing qualities of such shoes by pre- '..venting separation of the channel strips from the outsoles when the shoes are placed in wear and service.

The present invention constitutes a continuation-in-part of my prior application, Serial No.

678,802 filed July 3, 1933, and is particularly directed to a shoe formed in accordance with the process set forth in my aforesaid application.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a welted shoe as contained on a last and in process of manufacture, the skived channel strip of the outsole being shown in an elevated position admitting of the stitching of the outsole to the adjoining welt of the shoe and providing for the application of a cement thereto;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through a welted shoe constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation, partly in vertical section, disclosing the shoe in a press in which the channel strip is forced into engagement with the outsole;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View taken through the stitching employed in uniting the outsole with the welt strip.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I designates the outsole of a welted shoe, although it will be understood that the invention may be employed in the manufacture of any type of shoe wherein a channel outsole is provided. In the process of manufacturing a welt shoe, the insole is skived or cut to produce a depending marginal flange 2. To this flange there is secured the lower portions. of the shoe upper 3 together with the welt 4. The welt usually comprises a strip of leather which surrounds the flange 2, and is fastened to the adjoining portions of the upper and the flange 2 by means of a ne wire stitching or lacing 5. The outsole I, which is composed of leather, and in a moist or tempered state, is then placed over the insole in engagement with the flange 2 and the welt 4, leaving a space 1 between the bottom of the insole and the upper surface of the outsole bounded by the flange 2, this space being ordinarily lled with a composition material such as ground cork and a binder. The outsole is then secured by means of the stitching indicated at 8 to the welt 4, the stitching being elfected through the marginal edges of the outsole as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to protect and conceal the stitching 8, the outsole of such a shoe is horizontally slit contiguous to its lower and marginal outer edges, while the leather of the outsole is in a moist or tempered state facilitating such an operation, to form an integral marginal iiap 9 known in the industry as a channel strip. This strip, after the stitching 3 has been effected, is adapted to be pressed downwardly into flush position with the bottom of the outsole and retained in this position, covering the outsole stitching, by the use of a suitable cement. As previously stated, the strip 9 due to prior methods and means for cementing the same, tends to readily disengage itself from the outsole after a short period of use or wear, so th-at when the shoe is viewed from the bottom or from the side, the loosened strip presents an unfinished and unsightly appearance which mars the appearance of such a shoe and in addition exposes the stitching 8 to direct wear.

The stitching 8 usually comprises looped threads I8, as shown in Fig. 4, which pass through registering awl and needle openings ll formed in the welt 4 and the outsole, while a bobbin thread I2 passes through the lower loops I0 and is normally positioned between the body of the outsole and the upper surface of theA channel strip 9, the stitching being protected by the channel strip. Thus when the channel strip becomes loosened, the bobbin thread i2 is exposed to direct wear and to the elements, causing deterioration and break-age thereof so that the union between the outsole and the welt sole is weakened with accompanying premature destruction of the shoe. It is therefore very important that the channel strip should be continuously maintained in its flush position with the outsole and in secured relationship therewith not only from a standpoint of appearance but to preserve the mechanical efficiency and prolong the life of a shoe employing an outsole attached by stitching.

In manufacturing a shoe comprising the present invention, following the channeling of a leather outsole, while the latter is in a moist or tempered state, to produce the strip 9 and the subsequent stitching, as at 8, of the outsole to the welt, a pyroxylin base cement is applied by brush or otherwise, to the adjoining surfaces of the `channel strip and the outsole. I have found that a pyroxylin base cement having substantially the composition set forth hereinafter, may be applied to the outsole when the latter is in substantially the same state of temper or moisture as when slit or stitched. In other words, there is no period of drying of the outsole following the stitching thereof required in order to render the adhesive effective.

Immediately following the application of the pyroxylin base cement to the channel Strip and outsole, the lasted shoe is transferred to a press which may be of the type disclosed in Fig. 3. In this press, the lasted shoe is placed with its outsole engaging with a resilient pad I3 and the entire outsole subjected to a pressure in excess of approximately 12 pounds per square inch which is applied simultaneously over the entire area of the channel strip. By the employment of these high pressures, the pyroxylin base cement adhesively unites the channel strip with the ad- `mining-portions of the outsole in overlapping and protecting relationship with respect to the stitching 8 and, moreover, the cement is forced into the needle or awl openings through which the stitching 8 passes, whereby to surround, protect and lock the threads with the cement. By lling these openings with cement, there is produced in said openings upon the hardening and setting of the cement, pegs or pins of the cementitious material which of themselves serve in a manner substantially independently of the stitching to rmly unite the outsole and welt in fixed relationship.

As a satisfactory non-rubber cement, I have found a mixture composed of the following ingredients to impart good results, althoughv it should be understood that I reserve the right to employ other pyroxylin base cements having equivalent penetrating, adhesive and flow properties.

Per cent by weight Per cent rIoluol 40.9

Solvent 88.6{ Butyl acetate 17.6y

Alcohol 30.1

Nitrated cotton 7.4

Solids 11.4{ Resin 3.0

Plasticizer 1.0 By means of the present invention, I am enabled to produce a channeled outsole wherein looseness of the channel strip upon wear or use of the shoe is prevented, and whereby union is effected of such a character that irrespective of wear, the channel strip will maintain its adhesion relationship with the adjoining portions of the outsole. Due to this fact, the outsole stitching is protected, yet the customary unsightly appearance of a shoe after initial wear is avoided. Also, economies are obtained in the actual-manufacture of a shoe in accordance with my invention due to avoidance of delay heretofore present in the drying of leather and of the rubber cements of conventional composition.

The pyroxylin base cement comprising the present invention possesses a neutral color when applied to leather, so that it does not stain or discolor the leather in any way or effect its natural appearance. The invention is applicable to any type of shoe having a stitched channeled outsole and while it is of particular importance in the manufacture of welted shoes, it is also of corresponding importance in the manufacture of shoes of the McKay or Littleway types in which the outsoles are channeled and stitched directly to the insole and shoe upper without` using a Welt.

What is claimed is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a shoe having a stitched channeled outsole with the ap thereof permanently united to the sole margin under ordinary conditions of wear and service with a pyroxylin cement composed approximately of toluol 40.9%, 30.1%, nitrated cotton 7.4%, resin 3.0% ticizer 1.0%.

2. In the manufacture of shoes having sewed outsoles, the steps which comprise tempering an outsole, slitting the outsole inwardly and horizontally around its marginal edges to produce an integral and iiexible channel flap, stitching the outsole marginally and independently of the ap to secure the outsole to the adjoining upper portions of a shoe, substantially immediately applying to the adjoining portions of the iiap and outsole with the leather of the outsole in the same condition of temper as when cut and sewed, a pyroxylin cement effective in the presence of moisture, substantially immediately smoothing the flap into place on said sole to conceal the marginal stitching thereof, and subjecting said outsole to pressure simultaneously over substantially the full area of said ap to permanently bond said flap in unbroken engagement with the outsole.

3. In the manufacture of shoes having sewed and plasbutyl acetate 17.6%, alcohol zontally around its marginal edges to produce an integral and flexible channel ap, stitching the outsole marginally and independently of the ap to secure the outsole'to the adjoining upper portions of a shoe, substantially immediately applying to the adjoining portions of the flap and outsole with the leather of the outsole in the same condition of temper as when cut and sewed, a pyroxylin cement effective in the presence of moisture, substantially immediately smoothing the ap into place on said sole to conceal the marginal stitching thereof, and subjecting said ilap to sucient pressure to permanently bond said flap in unbroken engagement with the outsole.

4. In the manufacture of shoes having channeled outsoles wherein the channel flaps are adhesively secured to the marginal portions of the shoe outsoles to conceal stitching, the steps which comprise applying a pyroxylin cement eiective in the presence of moisture between the channel ap and outsole while the same are in a condition of temper and applying pressure over substantially the full area of said flap to bond the same to the outsole` 5. In the manufacture of shoes having sewed outsoles, the steps which comprise tempering an outsole, slitting the outsole inwardly and horizontally around its marginal edges to produce an integral and iiexible channel flap, stitching the outsole marginally and independently of the ap to secure the outsole to the adjoining upper portions of the shoe, substantially immediately applying a pyroxylin cement effective in the presence of moisture to the adjoining portions of the ilap and outsole with the leather of the outsole in the same condition of temper as when out and sewed, substantially immediately smoothing the flap into place directly on said outsole to conceal the marginal stitching thereof, and subjecting said flap to suflicient pressure to permanently bond said iap in unbroken engagement with the outsole, there being no intervening material between said flap and said outsole except said cement.

6. The process of cementing leather surfaces together while in a moist or tempered condition which comprises the steps of applying between said surfaces a pyroxylin cement effective in the presence of moisture and then joining said surfaces.

7. In the laying of channel aps in shoes, the steps of applying a pyroxylin cement effective in `the presence of moisture to said ap while the same is in a condition of temper, and then joining the flap to a shoe outsole.

HIRAM GORDON. 

